Clothespin



Ami] 29, 1920 1,491,941

A. T. WOOD CLOTHESPIN Filed Jan. 4. 1923 Patented pr. 29, 1924.

ANDREW Ta WOOD, OF IRVINE, CALIFORNIA.

CLOTHESPINQ 7 Application filed January 4, 1923. Serial No. 610,587.

To all whom z'tmay con'cem:

Be it known that I, ANDREW T. WOOD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Irvine, in the c ount of Orange and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothespins, ofwhich the following is a specification.

- My present invention relates generally to clothespins and more particularly to composite clothespins controlled by a metal spring and including clamping members which may be formed of wood or other material calculated to avoid detrimental effect upon the clothes and my primary object is the provision of a clothespin of this nature which is particularly strong and effective in its action and will, by virtue of the relative shape and disposition of the parts, be

lasting and durable.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 1 is a side elevation proved clothespin,

Figure 2 is an edge view thereof,

Figure 3 is a cross section taken in the plane of the locked ends of the wire extensions, substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of i the controlling spring removed.

Referring now to these figures my invenof my imtion proposes a clothespin including a pair of opposed similarly shaped and constructed clamping members 10 and 11, each of generally triangular form so placed as when together they form substantially an A-shaped pin as a whole. These clamping members have relatively narrow inner ends 12 and gradually widen toward their upper ends whose inner surfaces are curved on a flare as at 13 in order to facilitate the entrance of clothes and the like between the 5 members. Adjacent totheir fiaringly curved portions 13, the clamping members 10 and 11 have inner opposed and engaging protuberant portions 14 adapted for active engagement with clothes and the like, those 0 portions of the inner surfaces of the clamping members above or inwardly beyond the protuberances 14, being recessed as at 15 so that a clothesline may be received in said recessed portions and still permit the clothes engaging protuberancesv 14 to come into engagement with one another.

Along its outer edge, each of the clamping members 10 and 11 has a central lengthwise groove 16, and each is further provided with a transverse groove 17 intermediate its ends and nearer to the .outer end thereof approximately opposite the clothes engaging protuberances 14.

With the clamping members thus formed a spring controlling member is utilized, this member including a coil 18 disposed at the smaller inner ends 12 of the clamping members and also including elongated extensions 19, projecting from the coil and disposed in the lengthwise grooves 16 of the clamping members, that is between the smaller inner ends 12 of these members and the transverse grooves 17 These extensions 19 of the spring controlling member terminate at their free ends in oppositely angular extremities 20 and these extremities are disposed in the transverse grooves 17 of the members whereby it becomes apparent that by virtue of their oppositely angular extensions, they serve to lock the extensions of the spring controlling member in connection with the two clamping members at least to an extent sufiicient to avoid all danger of accidental displacement of the parts.

The general operation of my improved clothespin is similar to that of all other pins, but by virtue of its particular shape and the disposition of the coil at the small inner 1 ends of the clamping members it is obvious that the spreading of these clamping members for purposes of engagement with or disengagement from articles to be suspended from a cloth esline will bring about minimum strain upon the coil of the spring controlling member and thus reduce to a minimum the strain imposed upon the coil so that the latter will retain the necessary resiliency and elasticity throughout a long effective life. i

I claim:

A clothespin of substantially A-shape including a air of similar clamping members, each mem er tapering from one end to the other and having along its outer edge a central lengthwise groove and a transverse groove intermediate its ends and crossing the lengthwise groove, and a spring controlling member having a coil disposed be yond the smaller ends of said clamping members and having extensions along and within the said lengthwise grooves, terminating in oppositely projecting angular extremities disposed vwithin the transverse grooves, said clamping members being otherwise solid and having at their inner faces opposed protuberant engaging portions insaid protuberances an signature. 7

ANDREW T. WOOD. 

